Next step in the Tegernsee Process focusing on substantive patent law harmonization: broad user consultation

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After
reporting to the Administrative Council last week on the completion of the four
technical, fact-finding studies carried out by the Tegernsee Experts Group, the
European Patent Office is making these studies available to the public on its
website.

On 4
October 2012, the third meeting of the Tegernsee Group, composed of Heads of
offices and experts from the patent offices of Denmark, France, Germany, the
United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, and the European Patent Office, was
held in Geneva, Switzerland. The Heads took note of the reports on the studies
carried out by the Tegernsee Experts Group, focusing on four issues identified
as key to harmonisation: the grace period, 18-month publication, the treatment
of conflicting applications and prior user rights.

It
was agreed that the next step in the process will be to engage in broad
stakeholder consultation in each region, based on these four studies. This will
involve both user hearings and written responses to questionnaires.

The
experts will report on the outcome of the consultations at the next meeting of
the Tegernsee Heads, which will take place in late spring 2013.